Electrical switch



Feb. 16, 1937; w. c. EDWARDS ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Nov. l, 1934 INVENTOR VVV/iam fai/yards BY M ATTORNEYS mf...........-......: l l. EEE

intuitif!! :issinnn Patented Feb. `16, v1937 UNITED STATES General Moto Corporation, Detroit, Mich.,

a corporation o Delaware Application November 1, 1934, serial' No'. 150.960

` 4 amm. (Cl. zoo-11) l This invention relates to electrical switches,

d and more particularly to the plunger type by which one to-and-fro motion of the plunger `causes the 'switch to be closed in one circuit, and

5 a subsequent motion 'of the plunger causes -the switch to be closed in a second circuit.

One object of the present inventionis the provision of an improved control switch for performing functionsv similar to those of the device lof Harry E. Norviel Patent No. 1,906,084 ina i more eiilcient manner.

Another object" of the present invention is the provision of providing and arranging the switch .contacts insuch a manner so that whenY the controlling contact is moved a certain distance the controlling contact is positively held in a controlling position, regardless of wear of the con` tacts, to provide a more perfect control of the different circuits at all times, and the possibility invention will be apparent from thefollowing de v.scriptiomreference being had to the accompanyu `ing drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a rear view of the switch embodying` the present invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, some or the switch parts being shown in end elevation.

3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3 3 ofFig. 2. Fig. 4 is an inside view of the switch terminal and stationary contact support, showing the sta.- tionary contacts attached thereto..

' Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the switch, the elements being projected upon a single plane to illustrate the relation ofthe cooperating parts.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View, in separated relation, oi the several parts of the switch shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 'I is a perspective view of the ratchet member used in'this improved switch.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 o Fig. 4 on an enlarged scale. "/v I 'Referring to the drawing, the present plunger type switch, which is indicated in its entirety by 5o a'numeral 2li, is preferably supported-upon the noor board of an automotive vehicle, not shown.

'Ihe switch 2li comprises a rigid mounting bracket post or pivot 35.

apertures in the plate and case and bent over, as at 25 against the inside of the casing. The plate2| and the casing 22 are also provided with aligned 'apertures through which one end oi a plunger or actuating rod 28 may extend. The 5 other end o! the rod 2 8 is attached to a cap 21, as shown in Fig. 3, or in any other suitablemanner.

The cap 21 is normally maintained in the position shown in the drawing by a spring 28 coiled about the rod and interposed between the plate 10 2| and a washer adjacent the closed end of the cap 21. The rod 28 is provided with a head 28 and is disposed within the casing. The head is normally maintained against the under side oi the plate 2| by the spring 28. The plate 2| is 15 provided withoapertured ends 30 to receive bolts,y

Anot shown, to securethe switchassembly 'upon the iloor board or any other suitable support.

The cup shaped housing 22 has its side walls provided with tangs 3| which provide the means 20 for securingma closure member or switch back 32 of non-conducting material in cooperative relationwlth the casing 2|. The back 32 carries terminal rivets*I 33 and 34 and a central terminal The rivets 33 and 34 are con- 25 nected respectively with switch contacts 31:- and 38 disposed within a circular groove, concentric withthe terminal post 35, the bottom of whichis defined by six equidistant serrations or teeth 33.

'As shown -in the development view in Fig. 6 the 30 contacts 31 and 38 cover two adjacent teeth 38, Y while a plate 48 is provided with two arms or contacts 4| and 42 `ioined together by a loop disposed aboutand in positive electrical engagement with the post 35. The arms 4| and 42 are dis- 35 posed invv two adjacent teethy 38 diametrically opposite the teeth 39 that receive the contacts 31 and 38. Thus two adjacent teeth 38 are covered with a contact member and are spaced by one uncovered tooth. The plate 4|! is provided with 40 an aperture having a plurality of notches 43 extending therefrom. The plate 4|i is held upon the back 32 by a collar 44 provided by the post. the collar being larger in dimension than the aperture so as to engage the outer face of the 45 plate to form the positive electrical engagementl between the post 35 `and the plate 40. 'Ihe collar is deformed as at 45 to form lreysr or detenta adapted to it in the notches 43 to keep the post 35 from rotating relative to the plate 40. The V5G loop portion plate 48 nts within a recess 58 oi' the support while the contact arms of step-like formation straddle a lug 5| so that each arm will extend intothe tooth 38 adjacent each other. The plate 48 and contact arms 4| and 42 are i:ses

ilrmly held inI non-rotative relation in their respective recesses by staking over a portion of the post 35 extending through the back and a metallic member 53, as at 52. The contacts 31 and 38 are also held firmly against the back 32. and in non-rotative relation in their respective recess by staking over a portion of their respective rivets 33 and 34 extending through the back and metallic members 33a` and 34a, respectively. The free ends of the members 33a and 34a carry suitable screw terminals to which wires (not shown) leading to direction 'indicating lights are secured. The members 33a and 34a are prevented from turning relative to the' back 32 by the'lugs 32a formed integral with the back. The outer end of the member 53 is tapped to receive' a screw to secure one end of a lead, not shown, said lead connecting the Vmember 53 with the battery. One end of the member 53 engages the lug 32a to prevent the member 53 from rotating relative to the back 32.

A rigid bridging member is rotatably supported upon the post 35 and is provided with six equidistant apertures `6I and three arcuate resilient fingers 62 which are normally located vout of the plane of the bridging member 60. T he iingers are adapted to extend into the groove 39 of the back 32 and are yieldingly held into engagement with certain of the contacts 31, 38, 4i and 42 and the uncovered teeth 39. The contacts 31, 38, 4i and 42 are engaged by the 'free ends of the fingers 62.

i Thebridging member 60 is givenV a step-bystep rotary motion in a' counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3 or from left to right as viewedin Fig. 5 by a ratching mechanism includ-a ing the apertures 6| of the bridging member 60.. A ratchet pawl disc 65 is provided with' `three pawls 66 which are integral with the discs 65 and which are bent away from the plane of the discs as shown in Fig. 6 and in the development sectional view of thedisc. 'I'he disc is also provided With an ear 61. 'Ihe driving disc 65 is rotatably Supported by the post 35 and is actuated bya U-shaped bracket 68 which is rotatably supported on the post 35. 'I'he U-shaped bracket hasv an arm 69 that is provided with an aperture 10 for receiving the ear 61.- Tl'hearms of the bracket 68 Vcarry a pin 1I which supports a. non-conducting roller12. The bracket is yieldingly urged in a clockwise direction by a spring 13 so that theroller normally bears against the head .29 of the rod 26 due to the tension `of the spring 13.1. The'spring 13 is .located between the arms of the bracket and coiled about the post 35. 'I'he tension in the spring 13 is pro; duced by having one end 1l .of the spring under tension bearing against the pin 1I `andthe other end 15 passing through a s lot 16 provided by the 'end of the rod located within the casingll, see

' Fig. 3. The U-bracket 68 is maintained upon the post 35 by a suitable ycotter pin V11 extending through aperturesprovided by ther post 35. l A coiled spring 80 .is interposed between the arm 63 of the U-bracket68l and thevdriving disc member 65 and operates to yieldingly urge the members 65 and`6ll toward the back 32 so as to maintain agood ratchet engagement between the members 65 and 60 and 'at thev same `time keep the ngers 62 within the groove 39- and against the contacts 31, 38 4| land 4 2 when the lingers are so positioned that certainfilngers will engage certain of the contacts to close a desired current. y It will be noted that the plate lis provided with two integral arms or contacts and I2.

. v What is claimed is asl follows:

` tion -with the post, said contact having a.

This plate hasapositive electrical connection with the post 35 which in turn is connected with the battery or other source of current therefore either the contact 4i or 42 is connected with the current source at all times. The contacts 31 5 and 38 are independent of each other, and either -one of the contacts 31 and 38 are connected directly with the bright headlights, and the other one is connected with the dim headlights. Thus the bright and dim headlights will burn aiter- 10 nately, due to successive operation of the switch by the pedal 21. y

As 'shown in Fig. 5, one of the three fingers l62 of the bridging member 60 is connected with contact 42 and the second finger 62 is connected with 15 the contact 31 and since only one of the contacts 31 and 38 can be engaged by a nger 82 at the, l same time, contact 38 is not included in the circuit, thus the third finger 62 engages one of the bare teeth 39. when itis desired to connect the 20 contact 38 in' the circuit, the rod 26 is urged downwardly as viewed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The head 29 engages the roller 12 which in turn causes the U-shaped bracket and its associated parts to rotate in a counterclockwise direction against the .25 tension of the spring until the bracket 68 is rotated approximately 60".l This motion will be transmitted from the bracket 68 to the driving washer 65 through the ear 10, which in turn willv move the bridgingmember 60 through the pawls 30 66 engaging the fiat edges of the apertures 6| causing the nngers 62 to. be moved su'iciently to bring the ngers into the succeeding grooves 39. When this occurs the fingers 62 will be in engage. ment with the contacts 4| and 38 to complete a 35 second circuit.

When the cap 21 is released, the spring 28 will move the rod 26 upwardly into its normal position as Shown in Figs.`2 and '3; The driving washer 65 and the U-bracket 68 will also be re- 4 turned to their normal position by the spring 13, but the bridging member will remain in the last .mentioned position since it cannot rotate in a clockwise direction, due to the engagement of the fingers 62 engaging. shoulders provided by 5 the teeth of the groove 39. Therefore successive operations of the rod 26 will cause the bridging member 60 'to connect the plate Il alternately/ with the ycontacts 31 and 38.

While the embodiment-of the present inven- 50 .tion as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to beV understood that other forms -might be adopted, all coming'within the scope of) the claims which follow. u 1. In an electric switch ofthe class described, the combination comprising; a non-conducting supportcarrying a. terminal post, said support having a plurality of arc-shaped ratchet recesses arranged concentric with the post; a pair of `sta- 00 tionary contacts flxed to the support, each contact having an arm disposed in two adjacent recesses; a third stationary contact fixed to the support andfh'aving a positive electrical connecw of integral arms disposed in two adjacent recesses opposite the flrstementioned recesses to provide a plain lrecess between stationary contacts and the arms,- a rigid bridging member rotatably supported by the post and having 'a plurality oi' con- 70 tact fingers, said fingersA operating to connect one A 'ofthe mist-mentioned contacts with the thirdmentioned contacts to complete a circuit; means for producing a step-by-stepl rotation of the bridginggxnember in one direction only to alternately connect one of the nrst-mentioned contacts with the third-mentioned contact to clo a selective circuit; and spring means for urging the bridging member toward the support there being a stop in each recess in which one of the stops is engaged by one 'of the fingers to prevent a return movement of the bridging member when same is moved in the direction to close a circuit.

2. In an electric vswitch of thefclass described.

the combination comprising; a non-conducting` terminal block carrying a terminal post, said block having a circular row of detents concentric with the post on one face ofthe block; a pair of stationary contacts attached to the block and extending into adjacent detents; a third contact provided with a loop portion positively connected with the post and having a pairoi integral contact. members extending from the loop portion and into adjacentdetents opposite the i'irst mentioned detents to provide for a plain detent between each pair of'detents having. contact elements therein; a bridging member rotatably supported on the post and having iingers adapted to engage some of the contacts to close a circuit;

means for rotating the bridging member in one A direction only. there being a stop in each recess in which one of the stops is engaged by one of the iingers to prevent a. return movement of the bridging member when the member is turned in one direction to close the circuit; and means for urging the bridging member toward the block.

3. In an electric switch of the class described, the combination comprising;. a nonconducting support carrying a terminal post and having a plurality of arc-shaped ratchet recesses on the face of the support and arranged concentric vwith the post; a pair of terminal contacts disposed in two` adjacent recesses; a conducting plate xed to the support by the post to provide a positive connection between the terminal post and the plate, said plate having a pair of radial contact arms disposed in two adjacent recesses and arranged with respect to the terminal contacts to expose a plain recess between the terminal contacts and. the contact arms;

'a bridging member rotatably supported on the post and adapted to be rotated in one' direction only, said member having a plurality of iingers and arranged so that one finger will engage one of the terminal contacts, another finger engaging a plain recess and a third iinger'engaging one of the contact arms on each step-by-step rotation of the bridging member in one. direction only, there being a stop in each recess in which one of the stops is engaged by one oi' the fingers to prevent a return movement of the bridging member when the same is moved in the direction to close a circuit.

4., In an electric switch of the class described the combination comprising; a non-conducting support having a circular `row of detents on one face of the support; a pair of spring terminals supported on the support beyond the circular row of detents, said terminals having contact elements extending into adjacent detents; a conducting plate provided with a pair of radial contact elements extending into adjacent detents opposite the iirst mentioned detents to provide for a plain detentbetween each pair of detents having contact elements therein; a terminal post having a positive electrical engagement with the plate, said post securing the plate to the support within the circular row of detents; a bridging member rotatably supported on the post and having fingers adapted to engage some of the contact elements to close a circuit on each movement of the bridging member; and means for rotating the bridging member in predetermined steps of rotation in one direction only.

WILLIAM C. EDWARDS. 

